Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-07-29
MRS. MARY IL. HUNT.

We take great pleasure in presenting TO
the readers OF this column, the following
briet sketch from the pages OF The Union
Signal OF the life and labors of Mrs. Mary
Hunt. superintendent OF the department cf
Scientific Temperance instruction of the
National w. G. t U. We would gladly
also transfer the likeness of her intelligent
and soulful face portrayed therein. Won
deriul success has attended the earnest and
heroic labors OF this truly great woman.
Some one has said, "When God sets free
thinker in the world, there is no knowing
what may happen" "The cause will cre-
ate armies," is more than paralleled by the
Christians trustful assertion, "God always
provides leaders for His work." Uncon-
sciously 10 themselves, oftenimes, His
agents are shaped and moulded until, when
the work is ready, they are ready for it.
Prominent among the methods SO potent
for good in the temperance effort Of I, lay,
is that Of scientific instruction. Its history
would be incomplete without sketch OF
lis leader, the noble woman in whose brain
and heart was born the thought which is
uow stirring the nation.
The home OF Mrs. Mary II. Hunt, the
honored superintendent of scientiie in
struction in the Nationsl W. c. T. u, is at
Hyde Park, Mass. In the shelter Of family
life, in home uncursed by the demon of
drink, she heard voices such as came 10
Joan oil Arc in the forests OF Domremy-
voices which drove her forth with mighty
cry 10 the rescue OF her falherlnnd.
The children had by no means been ne
elected up TO this time. But sabbath
schools, B,nd1 OF Hope, and home teach
ing failed TO reach many who most needed
the instruction, AMI lacked the power TO
create a firm, intelligent conviction, found
ed upon "wIy," rs u basis of action.
Before her marringe, Mrs. Hunt was a
teacher OF natural science in one Of our
Eastern colleges, aud her interest in that
line oi work Is but another link in the chain
Of Gods leadng-. While her ron was n
pupil in the Institute Of Technology, in
aiding him in chemical research her at
tentiOn WAS turned TO the nature and ex-
tent Of The use OF alcohol for other than
chemical purposes. and her eyes were opend
10 the terrible train Of consequences fol-
lowing the use ot alcoholic liquors. Ghosts
that would not "down" haunted her by day
and by night. Now that she knew the
nature nf the drink, bottles IN saloons which
had borne for her no more meaning thun
the same number OF starch boxes, seemed
deposits Of dynamite under our republican
institutions. DR.. Richardson's "Canior
Lectures ON Alcohol" then a recent publ.
cation IN England, intensified her convict
ions that the alcohol problem was to decide
the progress Of civilization In this nge, and
that il the country was saved, il must be
through the children. But how could
| they be taught?
"The scientific method in the schools"-
this. a fragment OF II sentence uttered by
Mr.. Cook in one OF his Monday Lectures"
was, for her, the electric nash illumlnai-
ing the darkness the secret Was ont, the
phantom wss grasped Mt Last. The public
school, re-enlorced by law, would reach
more children than any other agency. One
OF the FIRST results OF the new thought was
| a correspondence which resulted in the
writing OF "Alcohol aud Hygiene" by Miss
Colmnn. Learning Of the thinker whom
God had "set Free" the work was AT once
adopted by the National W. G. I. u, AT
Misu Wlllard's suggestion in the form Of n
committee on temperance instruction IN
schools and colleges Of which Mrs. Hunt
war made ohairman.
Meanwllle, as advocate toT the Boston